‘SCOTSMAN’ SIGNED, SEALED AND DELIVERED? NOT QUITE…

York may have announced Riley & Son (E) as its ‘preferred supplier’ for Flying Scotsman’s operation in December (SR475) – but on January 23 it had still to finally sign on the dotted line. However, planning for trains using the National Collection ‘A3’ is going ahead, driven both by an expectation that what remains now is a formality – and by deadlines. “Riley’s has agreed the dates with us, and we’re proceeding on the basis that it’ll be there – because we need to for planning,” the Steam Dreams Rail Co.’s Marcus Robertson told me in January. “The ‘specs’ have to go in.” In that, Marcus is referring to the specific bid for a charter from the train operator (in SDRC’s case, West Coast) to Network Rail so the latter can plan the train’s timing and gauging. In particular, Marcus has in mind his organisation’s ‘Cathedrals Express’ to Edinburgh in May, now less than four months away. “As is usual in all these specs, we will put other locomotives on, because you have to cover all the eventualities you normally would. The crucial thing is the bid has to go in, with the locomotive on, now.” That’s not the only train No. 60103 is down for either – another being the Railway Touring Company’s ‘Great Britain’, for which preparations are also well under way. It was in August that the Science Museum Group published what’s known as an ‘invitation to tender’ for the operation of the Gresley ‘Pacific’ for six years from January, to follow on from its first two years of operation with Riley & Son (E). The deadline for tenders was in September. For its part, the National Railway Museum has apologised for “any inconvenience caused” for what it describes as “unavoidable delays”. In a statement to Steam Railway on January 23, NRM Head of Operations Jim Lowe said: “It is very important that the final contract for the operation of Flying Scotsman is well considered and planned to meet our needs now and also several years in the future. We are using all the experience of two successful years of operating the locomotive to ensure that the final agreement is in the best interest of all parties, including tour operators and the wider public. This involves ensuring that the locomotive has a secure and stable future, that it will be well cared for throughout the life of the contract and that we are able to provide suitable public access to the locomotive. “We are now working closely with Riley & Son (E) Ltd to finalise the contract and expect to be able to make a further announcement concerning the final details of the operation and maintenance of Flying Scotsman before the end of this month. We apologise for any inconvenience caused by unavoidable delays to the tender process and we look forward to another successful operational programme in 2018.” Ian Riley himself is succinct: “We’re just finalising the last details of the contract.”